good morning. one-two punch. a second winter storm developing this morning just as much of the country digs out from the last one. major cities from washington, d.c. to new york to boston in its path. let's make a deal. president obama sitting down with top congressional leader from both parties in just hours. can they agree on something before sending the country over the fiscal cliff? and holy cow. $8 for a gallon of milk? why that utterly ridiculous price could be a very real possibility today, friday, december 28th, 2012.

and good morning, everyone. welcome to "today" on a friday morning. i'm savannah guthrie. >> i'm willie geist in this morning. she is full of milk puns this morning. holy cow. utterly. >> what are you, lactose intolerant? >> the trifecta. >> we'll move on to the big story, which is the weather. we're bracing for another big storm before the last one is done. >> it's expected to bring a new round of travel headaches during a holiday travel weekend. how will it impact you in more on that ahead. also, retired general norman schwarzkopf has died at the age of 78. he's being remembered as one of the greatest military figures in u.s. history. more on his remarkable life coming up. also ahead, it happened again. a man shoved to his death in front of a new york city subway train. this time, the suspect is a

woman. we will have the details. and later, we'll look back at how we covered the biggest stories from 2012, from golden moments at the olympics to the hard-fought race for the white house and the unimaginable damage from superstorm sandy and more. we'll start with another winter storm getting ready to wallop a large swath of the country. maria larosa has the details. >> it places like arkansas just a few days ago under blizzard warnings. now we're talking about freezing rain advisories. also, the winter weather advisories. you see the advisories stretch back into the ohio valley, back into the northeast. that's basically the trail of the snow with this next system. so over the next 24 to 48 hours we'll see it develop. it will continue through the south with thunderstorms and showers. not to the extent of the severe weather with the last round, but you can see enough cold air you start to see the snow develop from ohio to pennsylvania. moving into d.c. overnight

tonight, into philadelphia and new york by saturday morning and on up into boston by saturday afternoon. it's a quick mover. generally speaking, the snow totals will be on the light side. we'll start in the next 24 hours. ohio valley, indianapolis, you could end up with an additional 3 to 6 inches of snowfall. as it moves into the northeast, we're talking about 1 to 3. timing, if you're doing any traveling, it's going to be treacherous. notice the dark purple in maine. that's a little bit of the mix. still snowfall from that last system. willie, back to you. >> all right, maria. thank you very much. with just four days left to avoid the fiscal cliff, congressional leaders heading to the white house this afternoon for key talks with president obama. nbc's capitol hill correspondent kelly o'donnell has more. kelly, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, willie. the top two democrats and republicans from the house and senate will sit down with the president middle of the afternoon. but we should tell you that behind the scenes the most senior staffers who have been given the task of negotiating have continued their conversations looking for ways

to try to bring a deal together. while the elected officials know they need to be more visible. >> mr. speaker, we ought to be here working, addressing these challenges. >> reporter: under pressure to show up, even if there is no deal to consider, congress will work this holiday weekend. the deadline is so close, outgoing members have already packed up their offices and need to move out while the harsh tone is going nowhere. >> the american people, i don't think understand the house of representatives is operating without the house of representatives. it's being operated with a dictatorship of the speaker. >> the president shows, instead, to spend his time on the campaign trail. >> reporter: what's at stake is real money for every american worker and family. >> the average family earning $50,000 to $75,000 a year will see their taxes rise $2400 in

2013. >> reporter: income tax rates go up at every level. taxes on capital gains and dividends will jump. the 2% payroll tax holiday ends. the alternative minimum tax will hit more families. long-term unemployment benefits expire. >> sad it got to this point, and it's scary, if anything. hopefully they're able to get to something this week. >> reporter: analysts say congress may miss its own deadline, and that could tee up a january fix, but damage may be unavoidable. >> when push comes to shove, they will find a way to bridge their differences. and it may not be pretty, but it will get done. it may get done in such a chaotic fashion that the economy will pay a price. >> reporter: so we hear from more democrats and republicans this sort of acceptance they might slip past that january 1st deadline and keep working on this. at the same time, both sides said they want to get a deal, and they know there's a lot of pressure from their constituents, from the larger political environment to do something. will this afternoon's meeting have an impact?

too soon to say, but it's a step that's intended to show they're working at it. willie. >> kelly o'donnell on capitol hill. thank you. we're joined now by republican senator john thune of south dakota and democratic senator chuck schumer of new york. gentlemen, good morning. by my count, we're less than 90 hours away now from the new year's eve deadline. senator thune, let me start with you. what do you and republicans need from democrats to get a deal done? >> well, what we would like to see, willie, is first off something that deals with spending. we believe this isn't a revenue issue. this is a spending issue. that ought to be a part of any solution. secondly, we ought to focus on jobs and the economy. anything that is done ought to be focused on what can we do to get the economy expanding, create jobs. when people are working, they're paying more taxes. the government is generating more revenue. that makes all these problems smaller by comparison. jobs and growth ought to be a guiding principle in this discussion, which is why republicans are so reluctant to

go for the big tax increases the president is trying to get through. >> senator, is it reasonable to ask taxes to go up on those households making more than $400,000 a year as the president presented to speaker boehner? >> well, you know, i think that republicans have been willing to accept the idea thatevenue is going to have to be part of this solution. we also believe that the chuck schumer principle, which is $1 million, he ought to extend the rates for everybody under $1 million. that's something that if the democrats in the senate want to pick up a bill that passed in the house and amend it, send it back to the house, i think that's something that might pass. right now, we're at a stalemate because democrats haven't been willing to consider the issue of spending. all they want to deal with now is tax increases. that's bad for the economy. that hurts jobs. >> to that point, senator schumer, are there cuts to the budget you'd be willing to go along with at this point to avoid the fiscal cliff? if so, what are they? >> well, obviously, there are cuts in the budget. we know we have to cut some of

the mandatory programs and do other cuts, but it has to be accompanied with revenues. willie, i'm getting a little more optimistic today. sometimes it's darkest before the dawn. there are two good signs for optimism today. one is that leader mcconnell is actively engaged. you can't pass anything in the senate without democratic and republican votes because of the 60-vote barrier. we only have 53. for the first time, leader mcconnell is speaking to the president. if the senate is going to be the place where action starts, you need both of them there. the second reason for optimism is boehner is back at the table. because you can't pass something just through the senate. we see what a mess the house is. they couldn't even pass speaker boehner's own plan b. the fact that he's come back and the four of them are at the table means to me we could come up with some kind of agreement that would avoid the main parts of the fiscal cliff, particularly taxes going up on middle class people. now, i am hopeful, and it can be

a balanced package. we've always said it should be a balanced package. the problem has not been democrats being willing to do cuts. we did $1 trillion of them last year. we're willing to do more this year. the problem is revenues. >> senator thune, if we go over the fiscal cliff, it will have very real impact on americans and their pocketbooks. a lot of people who live outside washington watch this process and say, these guys have a self-imposed dead line on a very serious issue they may not meet. can you restore any confidence to the american people that they should believe in what you all are doing there? >> sure. i think it's encouraging that people are talking, willie. there is an agreement out there that can be reached, but, you know, as i said before, you can't do this just with revenues. the tax increases that would hit middle income americans and small businesses would be disastrous for the economy. even if the president got everything he wanted on taxes, it generates enough revenue to pay for less than a week of government spending next year

alone. so the question is, what do we do for the other 358 days of the year? well, we have to do something on the spending side of the equation. but the tax increases need to be averted. they need to be avoided. they can be. i think in the end we'll get a deal. the question is the timing of that. but it is encouraging that the sides are sitting down. they continue to have lines of communication that are open. and i view that as optimistic as well. >> senator schumer, i have about ten seconds here. will there be a deal by new year's eve? >> i am hopeful that there will be a deal that avoids the worst parts of the fiscal cliff, namely taxes going up on middle class people. i think there can be, and i think the odds are better than people think that they could be. >> let's hope so. senators chuck schumer and john thune, thank you both. savannah. >> all right. thank you. tributes are pouring in this morning for general norman schwarzkopf. "stormin' norman" as we became known died on thursday from complications of pneumonia. andrea mitchell has a look back at his life. good morning to you. >> good morning.

he was often compared to the most celebrated generals of the 20th century. a warrior's warrior with the charisma of douglas macarthur. he's being applauded as the most celebrated battle commander of his generation. nicknamed "stormin' norman" for his legendary temper, norman schwarzkopf was an american original. he used his pre-war briefings to try to scare saddam hussein into backing down. >> if the iraqis are dumb enough to attack, they'll pay a terrible price for it. >> they dare come across that border, i'm completely confident we're going to kick his butt. >> when the decision to go to war was made, schwarzkopf was ready with a plan to outflank the iraqi forces. former president bush with brian williams last year. >> i remember when he came and presented his plan at camp david to us and then we fine tuned it a little bit or asked it be fine

tuned. but he was a great soldier. >> commanding 540,000 americans and another 200,000 allied troops in the first war televised in realtime. general schwarzkopf's briefings made him a matinee idol. >> the simple fact of the matter is that now every time an iraqi airplane takes off the grounds, it's running away. as far as sue dam hussein being a great military strategist, he is neither a strategist nor is he schooled in the operational art. >> a west point graduate like his father, a famous new jersey state police leader who cracked the lindbergh kidnapping case, the younger schwarzkopf played football, wrestled, sang in the choir. in vietnam, he was wounded twice during two tours of duty. he returned from desert storm a celebrated hero, despite later questions about president bush's

decision to end the ground war after 100 hours, leaving saddam hussein in power. in recent years, general schwarzkopf battled poor health but will long be remembered as the commanding figure he once was. >> i just would be very happy if the history book said that i was a soldier who served his country with honor and loved his troops and loved his family. that's enough for me. >> president obama called the general an american original who stood tall for the country and the army he loved. most poignantly, though, former president george herbert walker bush issued a statement from his hospital bed in houston saying, quote, barbara and i mourn the loss of a true american patriot. more than that, said, president bush, he was a good and decent man and a dear friends. >> he was that and more. andrea mitchell in washington, thank you. a lot of other news to get to this morning. let's head to the news desk. that's where we find natalie morales. >> good morning, everyone.

speaking of the former president george h.w. bush, we have an update on his health. good morning to you, janet. >> reporter: natalie, good morning. an e-mail from former president bush's chief of staff is shedding new light on his condition today. it says in part she's confident he will recover. and she says, is he sick? yes. does he plan on going anywhere soon? no. he has every intention of staying put. he would ask me to tell you to please put the harps back in the closet. she goes on to say that mr. bush will likely be in the hospital for a while due to his age and he can use our prayers. natalie, back to you. >> we are sending them. janet, thank you. for the second time this month, a new york man has been pushed to his death in front of a subway train. witnesses say a mumbling woman shoved a man into the path of an oncoming train in queens on thursday evening. police said the man didn't seem to notice the woman before she

pushed him. she fled the scene and police are now searching for her. it's back to work for secretary of state hillary clinton after being sidelined for almost three weeks due to a concussion. doctors say clinton hit her head earlier this month after a stomach virus caused her to faint. clinton will return to her office schedule next week, but overseas travel will remain off the table for several more weeks. a woman has been arrested suspected of running a fraudulent fundraising scheme to profit off the sandy hook shooting tragedy. the 37-year-old was charged with lying to fbi agents investigating the alleged scam. she spoke off camera earlier this month with our own jeff rossen. the uncle of 6-year-old noah posner said he found a scammer online posing as the boy's aunt requesting donations to a personal paypal account. a federal criminal complaint filed alleges she used facebook, phone calls, and text messages to solicit money claiming she was paying for the child's

funeral fund. and now let's head to wall street. cnbc's mandy drury is at the new york stock exchange. good morning. >> good morning, natalie. we had a rally in asian stocks overnight with the japanese nikkei now up nearly 23% for the year. good if you've got a diversified portfol portfolio. obviously, fiscal cliff watching is front and center. that's key for the markets here. and did you like your holiday gift? well, about $63 billion worth of holiday goodies are going to be taken back to the store, but either exchanged or refunded according to the national retail federation. back to you. >> hopefully people still go out and buy. all right. thanks so much, mandy drury. and soul singer has passed away following complications from a recent heart attack. bass was most famous for her hit song "rescue me," a bubbly pop tune from 1965. ♪ come on baby and rescue me

come on baby and rescue me ♪ ♪ because i need you by my side ♪ ♪ can't you see that i'm lonely ♪ >> she was 72 years old. and you're up to date right now. it's 7:17. back over to savannah, willie, and maria larosa in for al. good song. >> a good song. good legacy, for sure. >> her legacy was always bopping. >> thank you, natalie. >> maria has a look at the weather. >> good morning, guys. more wet weather, more snowy weather for a lot of the same areas impacted by the last storm. so as we look ahead to today, we're sort of prepping for what's to come. you have some showers and some thunderstorms spreading from the southeast into the mid south. again, this is not going to be to the severe level as the last go around. watch out for the freezing rain too in parts of the ohio valley. snow on the northern end eventually pushing into the northeast. notice the west, specifically the pacific northwest will continue to see showers.

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and that's a look at your weather. willie, over to you. >> maria, thanks a lot. later this morning, we're going to take a look back at how we covered the biggest stories of the year. obviously, the tragic school shooting in connecticut is fresh on everybody's minds. what were your biggest stories of the year? >> it feels so obvious, but i think the presidential election has to be on the list. something that we all followed very, very closely. so much happened. the debates were obviously interesting, covering the convention. it happens once every four years. incredibly consequential. i think it says a lot about what presidential elections will look like. we learned a lot about the changing demographics of this country. >> exactly. looking forward to the inauguration coming up in the new year. i think for all of us, i think around here certainly we've covered superstorm sandy. this was such a tragic event. i mean, a storm like this has

not been seen here in this -- for centuries. i think that, you know, obviously the devastating effects that it continues to have on so many areas from the rockaways to new york to connecticut and long island. i was up in the helicopter. seeing that devastation first hand, when you see the scope of it, it's just enormous. >> this year was marked by a lot of tragedy from aurora, benghazi, and of course sandy hook. stories we all covered. there were a few moments of light. the olympics in london being one of them. all three of us were there. the remarkable opening ceremony with the video of the queen jumping out of the helicopter. there were some international moechl moments we can take away. >> no question. it's always amazing to take a look back. we're going to have -- i've been calling it an epic look back. pull up the chair, get out the popcorn. we'll do that later. also, why the price of ill

many

coming up, russian president vladimir putin signs a bill overnight banning adoptions to americans. the heartbreaking impact on families across the country. also, the act that will get you a ride from a complete stranger, but is it safe? that story after your local news. [ gwen ] i used to sleep on the tour bus between shows. but that doesn't happen much anymore. the creative process never stops. and songwriting is so hard, but i love it. these days, i guess i just don't want to miss a thing. [ laughs ] i miss you guys. that's me. and this is my windows phone. [ male announcer ] new windows phone. reinvented around you. ♪ yeah, our low prices are even lower.

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and even hotter! actually, i just press this button. brew the coffee you love -- stronger, bigger, or hotter -- with the keurig vue. >> good morning. and jennifer franciotti. here is a look at one of our top stories. ravens fans, listen up. starting at 10:00 and you can get your hands on tickets for the wild-card game which will be played either saturday, january 5, or sunday, january 6. interested buyers should know there is a six-ticket limit and you could buy them online through ticketmaster or by phone. no tickets will be sold at the

stadium box office. time for a check on your morning commute. here's kim dacey. a big mess of the beltway. >> along the top side of the belt way we are seeing a lot of backed up traffic, it gets situation. outer loop at paring part way -- the parkway, almost belair road. you can see from the camera at harvard wrote the big back of -- most of the lanes are closed. the only thing getting by is to the right on the acceleration lane. some traffic squeezing by. but look at the jammed traffic. big problems, through the morning. avoid the area for the time being if you can. northbound 895 at the toll plaza a disabled vehicle blocking one lane as well. in the city, a crash at macon avenue. a few things to watch. on the south side of the belt way, things are wide open. should not have any problems on the inner or outer loop. >> chilly out there, to be

expected the end of december. 34 at the airport. forecast for today, high 30's -- low to mid for the's. partly sunny skies across the state and much less wind which will make all the difference. but tracking a new potential for snow tomorrow and expecting minor accumulations across the area, 1-3 inches, and any worse out of 95 mainly and icy mix. watch

the fab five is going gold. >> usa! >> who could forget that golden moment? the u.s. women's gymnastics team winning their first team gold medal since 1996, one of the bright spots in a year filled with serious news from the election to superstorm sandy and of course the tragedy in newtown, connecticut. in our next half hour, we're going to look back at how we covered the news this year on the "today" show. 7:30 now on this friday morning. it's the 28th of december, 2012. i'm savannah guthrie alongside willie geist, who's in for matt. >> also this morning, something that will be hard for many families to swallow. the price of milk could more

than double and very soon. as much as $8 a gallon. could be a real possibility. then, would you hitch a ride with a perfect stranger? don't answer that, willie. new ride sharing apps are fast, cheap, and gaining popularity, but they come with some safety concerns. we'll tell you about this. and millions of bats suddenly dying off in the united states. coming up, what is causing it and why it's so important to find a cure. let's start this half hour with a law signed by russia's president overnight that bans adoptions by u.s. citizens. agonizing news for american couples looking to start or expand their families. nbc's michelle kosinski is here this morning with more. >> it more russian children are adopted here in america than any other country. we're talking tens of thousands of country over the last 20 years or so. as of this morning, russia has just made this illegal effective immediately in a sort of diplomatic dispute with the u.s. that seems to have very little to do with the children.

they're like any proud parent. americans posting their stories of adopting russian children, showing their happiness on the internet. >> so we're leaving. >> this family traveled to russia in 2007 overjoyed to adopt ben. >> you've gotten to be a big boy. >> a head full of hair. >> i know. like daddy's. >> a relationship that took nearly a year to get started. >> it's a million pieces of paper. you laugh about it, but it really is quite an intensive process. >> now at home, ben just turned 7, very much an all-american boy. >> how about some milk? >> i hate milk. >> you hate milk. >> celebrating the holidays, last christmas they decided to adopt a second russian child, prepared to work through those sticky wheels of bureaucracy all over again.

now it's politics threatening to derail their dream entirely. russian president vladimir putin, angry about a new law targeting human rights violators, today has banned all adoptions to america. some lawmakers have been trumpeting certain cases in which kids were hurt in the states. like one in virginia four years ago when a child died after accidently being left in a hot car. the father was found not guilty of voluntary manslaughter. >> there really is a great irony here in that america speaks out against human rights violations in russia and then russia sort of responds by potentially denying many thousands of russian orphans the most basic human right of all, which is a loving, permanent family. >> right now, this family is waiting for a sibling for ben. the russian government has to invite them to meet a child they can adopt, and they're worried. >> now with this new development, it could come to a screeching halt. >> just from father to father, president putin, i just ask that as a father just to consider

what's happening to the families that are in process. let us at least go through the process and bring home our children. >> this is really sparked an emotional reaction here and in russia. unfortunately, it is expected to affect all those families who are in the process of adopting. what remains to be seen is how this will affect u.s./russian relations further in the future and whether russia might dial this back at some point. it's estimated hundreds of thousands of russian kids are in need of families. >> yeah, and these adoptions in progress, you already have some families that have been to russia, met the children. in come cases, already calling them mommy and daddy. now they're going to have to wait. difficult story. michelle, thanks so much. we'll take a turn now, get a check of the weather from maria larosa, who's in for al this morning. >> good morning, guys. we're feeling the chill here in the northeast. we have a nice warm crowd here. take a look at this temperature map. the high temperatures today, lots of us are going to be close to or below freezing for high

temperatures. look at that line. a big chunk of the country feeling like december. to the south, still below average, even with highs into the 40s and 50s. watching that winter storm continue to develop as it comes through the south. some freezeing rain an issue ino places like arkansas. showers and thunderstorms in the southeast. snow on the northern side. that will be coming into the northeast late tonight and tomorrow. that's a look at the weathth and of course, sunday is

football night in america. we've got a big game on tap here. we have the cowboys at the redskins. increasing clouds, 32 to 36. i think you're a cowboys fan, right? i'm kidding. i'm kidding. >> redskins! redskins! >> all right. so we have increasing clouds. the snow will be done by then. by the way, you can check out your weather forecast 27/7 at weather.com. willie, back to you. >> that's a huge game. up next, would you pay $8 for a gallon of milk? you may have to very soon. that story right after this. the capital one cash rewards card gives you 1% cash back on all purchases, plus a 50% annual bonus. and everyone...but her likes 50% more cash. but i'm upping my game. do you want a candy cane? yes! do you want the puppy? yes! do you want a tricycle? yes! do you want 50 percent more cash? no! ♪ festive. [ male announcer ] the capital one cash rewards card gives you 1% cash back on every purchase plus a 50% annual bonus on the cash you earn. it's the card for people who like more cash. what's in your wallet?

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of legislation that needs attention. if nothing is done about it, the cost of milk could go sky high. here's nbc's stephanie gosk. >> reporter: the dairy industry is calling it the milk cliff. just like tax rates, if congress doesn't approve a farm bill by january 1st, the price of milk could go up. way up. right now an average gallon costs $3.65. it could soar to between $6 and $8. mara has three little kids. that means a lot of milk. >> you have to have it for young kids. it helps them grow. so it's hard when it gets that expensive. >> reporter: for many families, milk is a staple they can't cut back on. >> a lot of families that are tight, incomewise, they don't want to buy milk at $7, $8. >> reporter: it's not just milk prices. all dairy products would be affected. imagine if wisconsin cheddar cost more than imported french

brie. what would that mean for the average grilled cheese? one part of the complicated farm bill controls the dairy market. without it, pricing would go back to an outdated law put in place during the truman era. the government would be required to buy dairy products based on 1949 production costs when milking was done by hand. that would double today's price. >> it's a disaster. i mean, people don't really know what will happen other than it'll be just horrible. >> reporter: farmers like skip hardy in new york say it would be nice to get high prices from the government at first, but ultimately, this would kill the industry. >> what am i going to do with all this milk if all the sudden people stop buying it? >> reporter: luckily for congress, it won't happen right away. after the farm bill expires on january 1st, the department of agriculture could take weeks to put a new dairy purchase program in place. but eventually, congress will have to agree on something. >> i hope they realize that the people that vote for them are going to be in a hard place if

they don't get this solved. >> reporter: or a staple at the dinner table could soon turn into a luxury. stephanie gosk, nbc news, chicago. 7:41. now here's willie. >> thank you very much. there's an urgent threat facing an animal that may scare some of you, bats. they are dying in record numbers. nbc's tom costello tells us why and what's being done to save them. >> reporter: on a foggy morning in the hills near fort knox, a big mission to save a tiny creature. one that requires protective suits and gloves, a trek down a slippery hillside, then a belly crawl under a rock frp a steep drop into the limestone cave below. there, hanging face down on the walls, bats. lots of them. some hibernating in clusters, others alone, but all in grave danger. >> total number was a little over 5,000. >> 5,000 bats in this cave? >> reporter: this is part of a state and federal effort to

stave the bats from white nose syndrome, a fungus that's running unchecked through north america's caves, killing millions of bats and already it's in this case. >> you can see right here. you can see visible signs of the fungus on both sides of the muzzle. you can see on the forearms how it's starting to get some white. almost looks like dry skin on the forearms and the tail. >> reporter: the fungus attacks while the bats are hibernating, causing them to wake too early and burn through essential fat reserves. >> they're especially vulnerable for two reasons. one, they're at a temperature ideal for the fungus to grow. secondly, their immune system isn't up to par. >> reporter: and we need bat because they eat the insects that could dour farmer's crops. the fungus isn't a threat to humans, but already a staggering 5.5 million bats has died as the fungus has spread through 19 states and four canadian provinces. so scientists are pulling the

bats off the ceilings and cave walls. slowly, the bats wake up. on this bat, you can see the fungus is already on his nose. these are indiana bats. it's an endangered species of bats and federally protected. turns out white nose syndrome has already turned up in this population. half the bat species in north america are also vulnerable to white nose. >> this is a crisis. we're talking about potential extinction of several different species of mammals. we've never really seen a wildlife disease issue to this extreme before. >> reporter: back in a far corner of the cave working under battery powered head lamps, scientists check the bats for white dots and holes, the signs that the fungus has already attacked. >> the fungus will cause holes, cause it to scar up a lot, and it will alter their flight abilities. >> reporter: some of the bats are injected with what scientists hope is a cure, a

slow-release fungicide. fitted with tiny monitors that record their skin temperatures, they're placed in cages to be evaluated when they come out of hibernation. with a 90% mortality wait, wildlife experts are rushing to find a solution or cure to white nose one bat at a time. >> hopefully she'll survive and reproduce. there's a good chance she's pregnant right now. >> reporter: for "today," tom costello. >> tom, thank you. up next, a cheaper way to get around town. the ride sharing apps that are growing in popularity, right after this. [ singing christmas carols in background ]

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[ male announcer ] progresso. you gotta taste this soup. time for citi price rewind. because your daughter really wants that pink castle thing. and you really don't want to pay more than you have to. only citi price rewind automatically searches for the lowest price. and if it finds one, you get refunded the difference. just use your citi card and register your purchase online. have a super sparkly day! ok. [ male announcer ] now all you need is a magic carriage. citi price rewind. start saving at citi.com/pricerewind. there is a new way to get around town. it's fast, easy, and cheap, like a virtual car pool. today's jenna wolf shows us how it works. >> good morning. say you're going out and about, but you don't want the hassle of driving or taking a taxi or using public transportation.

now there's an unconventional and growing trend in transportation, and it may be headed your way very soon. it may not look like it, but kara is smack in the middle of her workday. driving her own car, kara is taking complete strangers pretty much wherever they want to go around greater san francisco. she's making a buck, they're saving one. >> i'm just a regular person with a regular car. >> no cars, no cabs, no public transportation? no problem. >> can passengers see where you are? >> welcome to the new world. >> it's your friend with a car on demand. >> john zimmers, the company's co-founder. >> an interviewed driver picks you up. >> an app and a tap. within minutes, driver du jour pulls up. to make it more social,

passengers greet with a fist pump. they sit in the front seat. inevitab inevitably, they chat it up. while many of the drivers are women, the passengers are as well. >> you need to charge your phone at all? >> both driver and passenger rate the experience from one to five stars. >> everybody has been super cool. >> being social is the goal, as is being safe. so every driver must be over 24, pass a thorough background check, and own a car in good condition. the cost? a suggested donation based on distance. generally a bit less than a local taxi. >> better on your wallet. >> lift isn't the only service racing for your rides on demand dollars. but not everyone is quite on board just yet. the california public utilities commission is evaluating safety risks in a proposal to regulate the companies. >> this is a limousine service,

and the paramount concern for us is public safety. >> while regulation is in the works, demand is soaring. companies like uber have expanded to other cities, and zimmer hopes to grow lifts well beyond san francisco. innovative transportation with a twist. >> maybe you're picking up your next best friend. >> yes. >> right? >> yeah. >> so in addition to the fist pump, lift also gives its drivers a big pink mustache to hang on the front of their cars to better identify them. the trend shows no signs of slowing down. i know you use uber a lot. >> yeah, it works really well. a little different than lift, but it's a black car service. you can call it. it really works well. >> it's a really good idea. >> no pink mustaches, though. >> this is a good idea. they are background checked and go through driving tests. it's great. >> it's only san francisco now. they're hoping to spread it across the country. >> bring it here to new york.

>> thank, jenna. coming up, from shocking scandals to celebrity breakups, a look at some of the biggest stories of the year. >> all those stories and much more coming up after your local news. ♪ aww man. [ male announcer ] returns are easy with free pickup from the u.s. postal service. we'll even drop off boxes if you need them. visit usps.com pay, print, and have it picked up for free. any time of year. ♪ nice sweater. thank you. ♪ thank you. whatever it takes, get to sears after christmas sale

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>> good morning. and jennifer franciotti. it's time now for a check of your morning commute. here is kim dacey. getting better about what? >> not really -- top, crash outer loop at perring parkway, move to the shoulder but still down to 9 miles an hour and leading up to it on the outer loop. travel lanes are open. from the harvard would camera you can see it. traffic crawling to get by. definitely an area that will slow you down a little bit this morning. you might want to consider an alternate route if you are just getting of the door. macon avenue in the city, possibly enclosures.

outer loop northeast corner, there of the delays, 23 minutes from 95 over to 83. 12 minutes on the other lived down the west side. looking good, up to speed. six minutes 95 southbound between 100 nd 32 and how the county. harrisburg expressway at timonium road is looking good both north and south down and moving fine. should not find any other problems thought the major mode -- roadways except for the north side of the beltway. and now ava marie have a check of the forecast. >> chilly right now. 32 at the airport, 30 degrees at westminster and, 32 in eastin. it feels a lot better because there is less wind. that will be the case across the entire state. sonny across the coast with a high of 45, 41 in central maryland. 36 in southern pennsylvania and 32 in the mountains. clouds build from the west throughout the day. ahead of the next system, which could be a small maker for saturday. 1-3 inches across the baltimore

metro area and slightly higher in the northwest suburbs and possible -- possibly icy mix annapolis to northern edge of

8:00 now on this friday morning. it is the 28th of december, 2012. beautiful morning. just four days left in this year. a lot of folks probably in town for a little shopping, getting ready for the big new year celebration. times square will of course have its party in a couple days. good morning, everyone. i'm sa van -- savannah guthrie alongside willie geist in for matt. we'll have a look at the stories of 2012. >> it was a difficult year in many ways, but also the summer olympics brought us some happiness, some light. we're going to look back on our

month in london together. also coming up this half hour, "today's" top clicks. that old video of the goat in the elevator has been sitting atop our list now for weeks. can anyone unseat the ghost in the elevator? we'll find out coming up a little bit later. >> all right. let's get over to natalie morales with a look at the day's top stories. >> good morning, everyone. another winter storm is pushing east today while much of the midwest and northeast additidig from record snowfall. at least 16 deaths are blamed on that storm. one of the great military giants of our time has died. general norman schwarzkopf died thursday in tampa, florida, from complications from pneumonia. he was 78 years old. in 1991, schwarzkopf commanded operation desert storm, the first persian gulf war that forced iraq out of kuwait. president obama says we have lost an american original. a long-time aid to former

president george h.b. wush says he's likely to enter the new year in a houston hospital, but they want people to put the harps back in the closet. bush has been in the hospital for a series of complications. he entered intensive care on sunday. with some 90 hours to go until the fiscal cliff kicks in, president obama and top members of congress meet today at the white house, and the house will hold a rare session on sunday. but there are no signs that any proposals are taking shape that both sides can agree on. and now for a look at what is trending today, our quick roundup of what has you talking online. every day thousands of people update social media sites like facebook and twitter when they get sick. now sickweather.com is scanning those sites to help predict outbreaks of illness like the flu, letting you take your ge germophobia.

well, bravo is giving us a sneak peek inside lindsay lohan's bedroom for an upcoming episode of "million dollar decorators." they agree that the mirrored bed frame has got to go. you can see the full episode january 1st on bravo. miley cyrus' cover of dolly parton's j"joline" is going viral. she just released the sessions she did with her band over the summer. here's a listen. ♪ joline, joline, joline >> video was only posted this week, but it was shot before miley got her new distinctive pixie cut. now let's go outside for a check of the weather with maria l larosa. >> our pick city today is san

jose, california. a little below average. that's a look at the weather across the c and that is your weather. willie, over to you. >> all right, maria. thanks a lot. coming up next, the tragedies and triumphs of this past year and how we covered them. a look back at 2012 right after this. ♪ ♪ ♪

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back now at 8:07 with today's year in review. from the olympics in london to devastating storms here at home, 2012 has been a year of triumph and tragedy. >> this morning, the moments that shaped your world as we reported them here on "today." >> the civil war in syria is worsening. >> international pressure is mounting on president bashar al assad to stop his bloody

crackdown. >> all we want is help. >> i've seen bodies on the ground. >> fear grows over the regime's potential use of chemical weapons. >> assad's army is slowly falling to pieces, but sosyria. >> breaking news, nbc news's richard engel and his crew were held captive for five days. >> it's good to be here. i'm very happy. >> a u.s. soldier accused of killing 16 civilians during a shooting spree in afghanistan. >> tell me what you believe. >> i just don't think he was involved. >> anti-american protesters attack a u.s. consulate in libya. >> the u.s. ambassador and three others are dead. >> the world needs more chris stevens. >> this is a spontaneous reaction to a video. >> it was a very obscure online movie. >> do you believe that ambassador stevens was the intended target of terrorists? >> i do. >> the white house is now classifying the deadly attack as a terrorist attack. >> i relied solely and squarely

on the information provided to me. >> escalating violence between israel and palestinians in gaza. >> the two sides exchanging rocket attacks. prvelgts the question, though, will this cease fire last? >> deadly disaster off the coast of tuscany. the costa conconcordia ran agro. >> facebook makes its much-hyped debut on wall street. the social network price dropped to a new low. if the company has a billion customers, how can they not be killing it making money? >> jpmorgan chase admitting they lost billions in trading. >> heated battle going on in washington over how to avoid the fiscal cliff. are the two sides even talking? >> the shooting death of a florida teenager by a neighborhood watch volunteer is sparking new outrage.

>> we want justice! >> under arrest, 28-year-old george zimmerman. >> he has pleaded not guilty, saying he acted in self-defense. >> it's just very difficult to live with day in and day out. >> breaking news, a mass shooting inside a suburban denver movie theater. >> a gunman walked into a showing of "the dark night rises," released some sort of gas canister and opened fire on the crowd. 12 people have been killed, 58 injured. the gunman has been identified as 24-year-old james holmes. >> you realized that john was lifeless. >> john just took a bullet for me. >> there have been so many mass shootings this year alone. >> a temple shooting outside of milwaukee. >> it's a hate crime. what did we do wrong? >> police rush to sandy hook elementary school following reports that a gunman had opened fire. >> callers indicating she thinks someone is shooting in the building. >> 27 people killed, 20 of those

young children. >> i smelled smoke then bulleted whizzed by. >> the shooter had identified as 20-year-old adam lanza, took his own life. >> evil visited this community today. >> it happened in the classrooms behind us. how could it happen there with kids so young? >> these are 20 people the week before christmas that just lost their joy. >> i'm so blessed to be her dad. >> there's appreciation for the teachers and staff who helped protect so many. >> how do you get your arms around it? >> the wave sort of just comes over you when you realize what happened. >> newtown's pain is being shared by people all across the country. >> for those of us who remain, let us find the strength to carry on. make our country worthy of their memory.

>> the outbreak of twisters blamed for at least 39 deaths in five states. >> everybody just laid their heads down. a lot of praying. >> an indiana mother lost parts of her legs while laying on top of her children to keep them safe. >> i said, you're not going to die. we're going to make it. >> massive wildfire in colorado, one of 18 fires raging in nine states. >> this is the largest fire to burn the region in the last quarter century. >> hurricane isaac hammers the gulf coast. >> we're getting hammered here now. >> getting a pounding. >> this is brutal. this is a big one. >> entire neighborhoods are under water this morning. >> hurricane sandy lashing the east coast. >> take a look at this nasa image. >> unprecedented strength making an unprecedented move. this is a storm unlike any other. >> sandy officially made landfall. >> it has come north and now hooked off to the left. we have never seen that. >> hurricane sandy has been waging a war. the ocean is now rushing in. >> look at these waves out here.

look at that surf. whoa! i think it's time to go. >> staggering entire cities and towns up and down the east coast unrecognizable in the wake of sandy. >> we need help immediately. >> everything is ruined. >> tonight we're here to raise awareness and some badly needed money to help the people. >> this is a city that was plunged into darkness. >> a massive storm. >> a crane that collapsed. >> boats have been tossed as if they were toys. >> it has flooded streets. >> the subway closed. >> gas is becoming harder and harder to find. >> i want to go home, but there's no home. >> the state of our union getting strong. we've come too far to turn back now. >> i've talked to so many

people, huge supporters in 2008. they're disappointed in you. >> this is the nature of being president. >> he seems to think america is on the right track and things are going well. >> things are truly heating up in the gop race. the attacks are flying. most of them are aimed squarely at front runner mitt romney. >> can we drop a little bit of pious bologna? >> romney enjoys firing people. >> a competitive primary does not divide us, it prepares us. >> i have decided -- >> to suspend the campaign. >> it's a lock. mitt romney secures the republican presidential nomination. >> a better america begins tonight. >> mitt romney has chosen wisconsin congressman paul ryan. >> the next vice president of the united states. >> it's all about the economy for this election. >> we can't tell you you're better off. >> osama bin laden is dead and general motors is alive! >> high-profile distractions for the republican party. >> it's a limit rape. the female body has ways to shut that whole thing down. >> that's just not true. >> i was misinformed. >> romney defending comments secretly recorded at a private

fundraiser. >> 47% of them believe they're victims. >> it's not eloquently stated. >> no one can make this country a better place. >> we can get this country working again. >> i accept your nomination for president of the united states! >> we've got so much more to do. >> governor romney, he's a good deba debater. i'm just okay. >> round one, romney. >> your entitled to your own house and airplane, but not your own facts. >> i'm going to stop the subsidy to pbs. i love big bird. >> i know you're under a lot of duress to make up for a lost round. >> that's a bunch of malarky. >> they brought us whole binders full of women. >> we have fewer ships than in 1916. governor, we also have fewer horses and bayonets. >> attacking me is not an agenda. >> the biggest battleground state of ohio. >> ohio. >> ohio is critical. >> the race could not be

tighter. >> less than 24 hours to go. what will decide this race? >> we need to take back america! >> your voice must be heard! >> critical calls. >> yes, we do. ohio, president barack obama. >> there's no what ifs anymore. >> it has gone from excited to electric. >> we are and forever will be the united states of america. >> celebrations marking the queen's diamond jubilee are in high gear. >> it's a very festive occasion. >> buckingham palace has just announced william and kate are expecting a baby. >> the news of kate's pregnancy is already a global sensation. >> hello, i'm just after my granddaughter, kate. i want to see how her tummy bug is going. >> shock and sadness. the nurse who took her life just days after taking a prank phone call. >> there is no one else

responsible for my sins. >> federal prosecutors have dropped all charges against john edwards. >> a prostitution scandal involving members of the secret service. the men had copies of president obama's exact schedule in their hotel rooms at the time. >> the surprise resignation of cia director david petraeus after he admitted to an extramarital affair. >> big news out of hollywood. brad pitt and angelina jolie's engagement. >> i just want peace. >> she cried. >> crocodile tears. >> the surprising split of seal and heidi klum. >> katie holmes to file for divorce from tom cruise. >> we're talking about "50 shades of grey." >> two of the ladies in the studio have read the book. >> that's correct. some have ordered the sequel. >> a huge honey boo boo fan right here. >> one thing is clear, she loves

to tan. >> i'm sorry. i'm tan. i like to be tan. >> viral video craze sweeping the nation. >> jerry sandusky found guilty on 45 counts of child sexual abuse. >> lance armstrong has been stripped of his seven tour de france titles and banned for life from the sport. ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ >> let the games begin. london ready to put on the biggest show on earth. >> missy franklin! >> it's a gabby gold! >> usain explodes! >> one of the most anticipated matchups of these games. what's your headline? >> ryan lochte takes over. >> so far, these games begin to lochte. >> how do you feel about that

headline? >> my talking is done in the pool. >> can lochte come up on phelps? michael phelps is going to win gold! no one has won more. >> i can look back at my career and say, i've done everything exactly the way i wanted to. >> unbelievable! >> the fab five is going gold. >> usa! >> ladies, can i say, you look really good in gold. >> congratulations. >> expectations were very high for 17-year-old missy franklin. >> it's going to be a world record for missy franklin! >> this is just absolutely incredible. >> and he's still the king of the 100! >> i came here to become a legend. i'm now a legend. >> misty and kerry. three peat olympic gold! >> the applause still rains down on oscar pistorius. >> redemption for the united

states! ♪ >> he's been waiting for this moment. >> allyson felix gets the gold! >> the london olympic games was the most watched event in american television history. >> wow. tears of sadness, tears of joy. lots to fit into one year. >> absolutely. a lot of tragedy from this year. let's hope that changes in 2013. >> i know. i think we were all watching the olympic highlights saying thank goodness there was that bright spot. it was such a hard year for so many people. we want to thank our producers

who worked so tirelessly putting that together. our editors. >> great job, you guys. beautifully done. >> back with much more on a friday morning right after this. . you have a plan? first we're gonna check our bags for free, thanks to our explorer card. then, the united club. my mother was so wrong about you. next, we get priority boarding on our flight i booked with miles. all because of the card. and me. okay, what's the plan? plan? mm-hmm. we're on vacation. there is no plan. really? [ male announcer ] the united mileageplus explorer card. the mileage card with special perks on united. get it and you're in. she gives me snickers peanut butter squared and i eat it. it's snickers with creamy peanut butter, would you like one? let's just keep an open mind. [ groans ] [ male announcer ] if you like peanut butter and chocolate, you'll love peanut butter and snickers. try snickers peanut butter squared.

you'll love peanut butter and snickers. we've decided to we're all having such a great year in the gulf, put aside our rivalry. 'cause all our states are great. and now is when the gulf gets even better. the beaches and waters couldn't be more beautiful. take a boat ride or just lay in the sun. enjoy the wildlife and natural beauty. and don't forget our amazing seafood. so come to the gulf, you'll have a great time. especially in alabama. you mean mississippi. that's florida. say louisiana or there's no dessert. brought to you by bp and all of us who call the gulf home. yeah, our low prices are even lower.

we need to teach her how to walk. she is taking up valuable cart space. aren't you, honey? [ male announcer ] it's clearance time! up to 50% off seasonal decor. 50% off toys. apparel $3 to $9. walmart. but that doesn't happen much anymore. the creative process never stops. and songwriting is so hard, but i love it. these days, i guess i just don't want to miss a thing. [ laughs ] i miss you guys. that's me. and this is my windows phone. [ male announcer ] new windows phone. reinvented around you. ♪ coming up, top clicks. your chance to vote for the favorite online videos of the week. >> there's that one elevator video. it's creepy. >> hard to beat. >> love this guy, though. >> maybe he'll be a winner. first a check of your local news and weather.

>> this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am jennifer franciotti. the time right now is 8:20 6:00 a.m., and let's check traffic. >> overall, not looking too bad. number avenue at 83, a crash reported, but otherwise looking good. we are traveling southbound and we are up to speed at 54 miles per hour. if things are looking good all the way down into the city. in the northeast corridor, we saw some delays, we are up to 12 minutes. certainly not a problem. the west side looking good as

well. also, we have that earlier accident causing a backup, but it looks like that is all gone and everything is moving just fine on the inner and outer a look. 95, in the area of white marsh boulevard, very light volume. that is the latest contract calls 11. ava marie? >> 38 degrees at the airport. 37 at college park. it feels better with less wind, so our highs were being -- will be in the upper-30. , to the lower-40's. we will watch snow potential build on saturday. the metro area could see 3 inches of snow, and there could be an icy mixed in southern maryland. we drive out sunday. monday looks dry. new year's eve, mostly dry, and tuesday we watch out for a

slight chance of an icy mixed. i would not plan -- cancel plans yet. >> thank you for joining us. another updated 8:50 5:00 a.m. see you then.

a young dreamer. >> my weight is just holding me back. >> with a chance to make his dreams come true. >> now is the time to change my life. >> good work. >> jillian returns to "the biggest loser: challenge america." here on nbc. 8:30 now on this friday morning. it is the 28th of december, 2012. a beautiful day on rockefeller plaza. we have a happy, exuberant, and well-bundled crowd out on our plaza this morning as we head into the last weekend of the year. and we say good morning again. i'm savannah guthrie alongside willie geist in for matt.

just ahead, online viral videos. your clicks on the dancing traffic guy to the dad brought to tears by his christmas gift. what was the best online video of the week? we'll let you decide. >> i don't know if i can stand to see the ghost in the elevator for another week. it's too scary. >> four weeks running now. >> also this morning, the hobbit has already made something like $.5 billion at the box office. ann curry takes us to new zealand to show us how peter jackson and his team brought the middle earth to life. and we're going to get you ready for your new year's eve bash. we have some delicious cocktails that will really impress your guests. >> natalie was just saying how much she was looking forward to the cocktail segment. before that, we're going to get another check of the weather. we turn to maria larosa in for al this morning. >> we're tracking another system that's going to bring stormy

weather, snowy weather across much of the country once again. as we get into tomorrow, the snow is going to be through the ohio valley into the northeast. generally, 1 to 3. there will be spots picking up up more than that. showers from the southeast to the mid-atlantic. midsection is quite but cold, but we'll see temperatures well below average again. then our western system taking a little snow into parts of the colorado rockies. you see showers developing sunday. sunshine returns in the southeast to parts of the mid-atlantic but remaining cool. temperatures will remain below average for the day. the big game on sunday in d.c. will rema.

and that's a look at your weather. willie, back to you. >> maria, thank you. now to today's top clicks, where you get to vote for your favorite viral videos. our reigning champ, the ghostly elevator ride. yes, here it is again coming from a variety show in brazil. unsuspecting passengers get a scare when the lights flicker and when they come back on, a ghostly girl suddenly appears in the elevator. >> and she quickly disappears. >> how long has this been number one? >> weeks on end. >> it's a good video. >> three weeks, we're told. >> that is cool, actually. >> it is. >> apparently everybody likes it. this week it's up against three new choices, starting with the

traffic man. ♪ and i think it's going to be a long, long line of cars ♪ ♪ as you try to get to work on time ♪ >> that's bob herzog, the good morning cincinnati traffic guy. >> i like him. >> his friday dance party. sounds like we have a couple votes for bob. >> i love bob. i give him my vote. >> all right. click number two, you're a mean kitty, mr. grinch. >> i'm just trying to -- [ meowing ] >> the cat a little grumpy. it will not allow its owner to wrap presents. >> i have a cat just like that. >> do you? >> oh, yeah. >> lunges at you like that? >> everyone. the kids, the dogs. he's not nice. >> finally, a heartwarming holiday moment. we showed you this this week. don loved his new fedora. then the big alabama fan found

his real present. >> we going to the game! >> tears of joy. tickets to the bcs national championship game to watch his beloved alabama crimson tide take on notre dame. we talked to him on the phone the other day. said he'd never been to an alabama bowl game. he gets to go to with his son. win or lose, that's exciting. >> that's one where you want to watch the whole video. he's thrilled about his hat. he's like, i should have had this this morning. he's very thrilled about that. but when he realizes that the tin tickets are in there, he's totally overcome. >> it's really sweet. >> he doesn't stop laughing. >> do we get a vote? >> i don't think we should influence or prejudice the voting in any way. >> you're right. okay. >> i love all the videos equally. >> so "today's" top click choic choices. ghost in the elevator, traffic man, grinch kitty, and the

tickets. we'll reveal the winner next friday and put it up against three new videos. up next, ann travels to new zealand for an exclusive look at the making of "the hobbit." first, this is "today" on nbc.

back now at 8:38. "the hobbit: an unexpected journey" opened earlier this month and set a new december box office record in the process. it's a prequel to "the lord of the rings" trilogy. ann curry recently travelled to new zealand for an exclusive behind the scenes look at how it was made. >> reporter: in "the hobbit," new zealand is once again middle earth. in the decades that peter jackson first filmed "the lord of the rings" here, it is a community transformed. home now to film makers. the nation's capital,

wellington, now known as wellingwood, hosts films like "avatar" and "king kong." >> wouldn't it have been easier for you to go to hollywood? >> we make very complicated movies. technically complicated films. these are companies that have been built by us to be able to do the films as we need to make them. if i can make films here and continue living here, i think i'm the luckiest guy in the world. >> reporter: richard taylor is a creative designer. he's worked with peter jackson for more than 25 years. taylor runs weta workshop, which creates until anything you can imagine in a movie. monsters, dwarves, and elves. he introduced us to his team of artists. >> this is jason's room. this is jason, the hit of prosthetics. >> reporter: a day in fact office can mean creating a dwarf nose, a hand, even a hobbit's

foot. >> these are going to be your feet. >> this is my cinderella moment. i'm apparently an ugly stepsister. oh, dear. maybe i should put my foot down. voila. oh, look at that. i can almost even wobble my toes. this is what life is like here. oh, good lord. they change your gait sort of. >> they do. martin had to learn to walk in them. he got lessons from the movement coach, learning to roll on the back of your heel down on to the ball of your foot. >> this is amazing. >> this is what powers the wonderment in our career. imagine coming to work and getting to make feet. >> reporter: just down the hall, the weapons department. this team created more than 200 weapons for "the hobbit." each crafted by hand. sword master, peter lyon. >> some steel, some plaster, some aluminum. this is the sort of sword that martin freeman carries. that's all steel. >> i see.

wow. how do you make them glow blue? >> that's movie magic. >> i figured. >> reporter: even as weta workshop's artists work to bring the characters to life, scouts traverse the country in search of perfect locations to shoot the film. >> we're heading up into the -- >> reporter: a long-time scout for peter jackson's movies. >> oh, my goodness. look at that. very dramatic. now, this definitely feels like middle earth. >> reporter: these mountains play a key role at the end of "the hobbit." they're just one of many locations in the film. >> this is a very critical part of the movie because it's the point in which they go up into the mystic mountains. how many people did you bring in here? >> they would have had 150 up here. >> really? >> we have all the basic people here as well. >> cameras right here. where was food services?

>> off in the background. >> bathrooms. >> constantly moving. >> reporter: there are great challenges shooting in these remote locations. but it's worth it for its breathtaking beauty. >> we came through the whole belly through here. so to find landscapes where the dwarves are forced out of their homes and there's nowhere to go. peter wanted this amazing wild landscape with nothing around but vast emptiness. >> this is it. man, you're looking at this deep river valley. there's a real feeling of really an epic moment. >> yeah, beautiful here. >> reporter: an epic moment from what may well be another epic peter jackson trilogy. new zealand's beauty. its artistry and craftsmanship on full display as tolken's work is brought to life once again. >> and that was ann curry

report reporting from new zealand. still ahead, the great debate over when to take down your christmas tree. first, this is "today" on nbc.

"today's" american story with bob dawson comes from reedsville, north carolina, home to one of the most popular people on the internet. not an entertainer or sports star, just an ordinary guy who made a little boy's dream come true. >> 6-year-old andrew keys has a love affair with cars. it began when he was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor. his greatest comfort was the sound of this barefoot voice. >> hey, everybody. how's it going? today i bring you a 2007 honda civic hybrid. >> andrew wasn't the only one

listening. >> four-wheel drive transfer case. >> in the past three years, those reviews have been seen more than 100 million times on youtube. the person behind that voice is not who you'd expect. he sells neither cars nor himself. in fact, he seldom appears on camera. that's because he's busy with his day job. the 23-year-old is a scientist studying full-time for his doctorate in pharmacy. >> hello. how are you? >> good. how are you? >> kyle started his car reviews to relieve the stress of college. >> did you just stumble into this? >> kind of sort of, actually. >> during a break from his studies, he decided to make a random car video. >> so just going to start her up, let her run. >> a bumper-to-bumper tour demonstrating everything. >> it's almost like a little car

encyclopedia in a video format. >> his hobby got a bit out of hand. at first, kyle did nearly one a day. 1500 so far. no-nonsense, sales-free examinations of practically anything with wheels and an engine. his mom began to worry. >> i thought it was the biggest waste of time. >> but his dad knows winners aren't always the most obvious. bill lindsay played eight months with the chicago white sox after nine years of trying. that's how kyle learned the small print in dreams. >> when he starts something, he finishes it, and he's not happy until it's perfect. >> he accepts no money from the car industry, but the folks at youtube started selling ads with his reviews. >> as the name suggests, the grand torismo --

>> now his part-time hobby pays him six figures. enough to buy four cars. what does a man who's seen everything prefer to drive? >> my real heart, my real passion it for the classics. >> like the '48 ford his grandparents built with love. >> that's okay. shift. >> he's teaching his girlfriend how to drive one just like it. on that first date, he picked her up in a hyundai. >> i guess he can tell you about how hyundai has been a lot better now. >> so is kyle. he's making more than most pharmacists. so does he still plan to wear a white coat and count pills? the little boy with the brain tumor helped him decide. last summer, andrew's mom told him -- >> you have a wish, what would you want in the whole wide

world? >> to watch kyle tape a review. >> i'm not going to. >> how come? >> just because. i know they're going to be too expensive for me. >> but this dream came true. >> push the button. >> his family traveled 600 miles from their home in detroit so he could meet the man who eased his pain. >> andrew's wish was given to him at a time when we didn't know if he would survive. >> by year's end, he was cancer free. kyle will continue studying to be a pharmacist. his enthusiasm and deep knowledge have already filled one little boy's prescription for recovery. for "today," bob dotson, nbc news, with an american story in reedsville, north carolina. >> good to see that little guy

happy and healthy. still ahead this morning, five ways to keep your new year's resolutions. you're going to do it this year. first, this is "today" on nbc.

we are back with our good friend len berman. we're doing the world outside. it's a great crowd. we wanted to see your

highlights. >> and it's the entire year. the whole year. >> wow. >> get ready. >> 2012 featured the champion giants in both football and baseball and the london olympics. what were truly the top sports stories the last 12 months? let's go spanning the world. >> unbelievable! >> yeah. >> on your mark, get set, and -- oh, run off the field. that's a case of one strike and you're out. >> play ball. the estonian basketball league. that should be worth four or five points. >> our oops of the year. this is pro bowler josh blanchard on the lanes.

in new jersey, junior hockey. you score a goal, and you go jump into the glass. no, not through it. one large guy, one trampoline in atlanta. and you knew that wasn't going to work, right? at the australian road rally. make a wrong turn and nobody got hurt. the best moves of the year. in russia, there he goes. wait a second. what is that? no, it's the old puck on a string trick. that works perfect. and the cincinnati band member who stumbles down the steps and breaks his trumpet. there's his mouthpiece. but in true show biz fashion, he played the air trumpet. soldier on. the worst moves of the year. the thai kick boxer. he goes with the kick and the miss. and he knocks himself out. yeah, that's it. you're out of there. and you love this look, don't you? the goofball in a mankini. >> oh, my eyes! ow!

>> i like that. the chinese hurdler trying to qualify for the olympics. you know, i'm guessing he didn't make it. i don't know what the rules are over there. oh, and brazil can throw down. you have to feel sorry for a man who gets a little behind. >> i remember that one. >> i have some rules questions. can you legally pass it to the referee in the nba? i think you can. are wet willies allows in the nba? just curious. oh, did you know texting while sitting courtside is a deadly combination? that doesn't work. soccer moments of 2012. in israel, the goalie kicks it high into the wind. that's not a good idea. in brazil, the save is made by the ball boy in the orange shirt, who sneaks on to the field. he thought nobody would notice. and in iran, the players thought it would be nice to pick up a loose object, so he tosses it away. turns out it was a live grenade. oh, well. our premature exhilaration of

the year. ricardo russo in italy celebrating his win. way to go. except for one minor detail. there was one lap to go. he finished 14th. our rabbit ears of the year in daytona. the music intern playing "three blind mice" for the umpires. not amused. throws the music guy out of the game. you're out of here. and here's our shot of the year. michael phelps decided to take up golf. he had this little gimme putt in scotland. ♪ >> wow. >> seriously? crazy. >> that's just not fair. he can't be good at everything. >> he has to be our athlete of the year. is there anything he can't do? >> he's incredible. >> clearly he should try golf next. >> thank you, lenny. >> never seen an organist thrown

out of a game before. >> everybody, three cheers for lenny. coming up next, "today's" take three. >> this is wbal tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am jennifer franciotti. negotiations between the longshoremen and the u.s. maritime alliance are not going well. port workers could go on strike if an agreement is not reached sunday support -- sunda

>> quiet today, partly sunny skies, and highs near 41. 30's in the mountains. clouds increase. that could bring snow across the baltimore metro area.